SULPHUR, Louisiana -- On a cool and overcast evening in southeastern Louisiana, NAES opened a new facility for its industrial services division. The company, which is a broad-based provider of services to the energy industry, saw an opportunity to establish a foothold in the Gulf Coast refining and construction services market, and they jumped on it.

The new office in Sulphur, Louisiana, will afford NAES the ability to bring its brand of safe, reliable and cost-effective construction, retrofit and maintenance services to the hydrocarbon processing industry.

The open house and ribbon cutting ceremony at the facility on Carbide Drive was attended by the Sulphur mayor and a smattering of city council members, as well as executives from NAES and employees from local refining and processing companies.

"NAES is excited to open this new facility and a new chapter in our history," said Kevin Taylor, NAES senior vice president of engineering and construction.

"This new facility will support our efforts to provide the highest quality of services as this centralized location enhances our capacity to respond to customer needs, more effectively mobilize, and provide employment opportunities to the local community," he added.

Headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, NAES provides comprehensive services to the generation industry, and is expanding its services to industrial infrastructure markets. The company is a part of ITOCHU Corp. ITOCHU operates in over 80 countries and covers a broad range of industries.